Monday, October 29, 2012

Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 (Giveaway)

The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 is the only Newborn to 2-year infant car seat that keeps your baby rear-facing for a full two years as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It grows along with your child from 4 lb newborns through 40 lb toddlers, keeping them comfortable and safe. It's also the first offering in Graco's Click Connect collection, which allows parents to move infant carriers from car to stroller with a simple one-step click. Ingenious! I think it's the smartest development in baby gear since the LATCH system.

As a long-standing parent ambassador of the Graco Nation, I was excited to be offered the chance to shop for a new SnugRide 40. My kids are obviously too old for this innovation (at 5 and 8, they are firmly in TurboBooster territory) but luckily I have friends who are expecting their first baby. They have barely registered and I was already telling them about how my kids loved their SnugRides. Roo would only sleep in her SnugRide, which I referred to as the baby bucket. I would actually put it into the Pack N Play next to our bed at night.

The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 is exclusively sold at Babies R Us. It's available in two colorways so far: Mena, a scrolling floral for girls, and Moonstruck, a more abstract pattern for boys. When I went to shop for them, I found out how popular they were– there were only a few carseats on the shelves and all of them were in the Mena pattern. Inconvenient, since I had discovered my friends were expecting a little boy.

The Mena pattern is pretty but definitely too girly for a boy, right? Look how plush the cushions are– it looks so snuggly. Five point harness and headrest are fully adjustable (with one hand, even!) so they won't cramp your kiddo's growth. Or force you to rethread the straps, which is one of the most arduous tasks, ever.

Moonstruck is more suitable for boys. Still has a pretty pattern but it's not pink and girly, so your newborn's masculinity is not called into question. I mean, you don't want him to grow up with issues, right? Just kidding.

The SnugRide Click Connect base holds your infant carrier securely in your vehicle. What makes this one unique is how the base adjusts to accomodate leggy toddlers. I especially appreciate that it also creates its own footrest that helps to protect your upholstery from those aforementioned leggy toddlers.

If you have more than one vehicle, you might want to consider investing the $75 in a second base. It makes life much easier if you split drivetime between parents or even grandparents. If it's the latter, you can feel confident knowing that YOU installed the base and all they have to do it connect the carseat with one click and it will be installed correctly. Not saying that grandparents don't follow the AAP guidelines for carseat safety but there's definitely some peace of mind knowing that your carefully-selected safety gear is being properly utilized…

I wasn't able to buy the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 in Moonstruck while I was in the store but it was available online with free shipping. Most items ship within 24 hours! You can also have it delivered to your local Babies R Us or Toys R Us location, free of charge, if it's more convenient.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a Graco brand ambassador and received a gift card to purchase the carseat and review it. Graco is also supplying the prize for this giveaway. No additional compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.

I love this seat! I like that it offers extended rear-facing height/weight limits, a kick plate to keep my back seats clean from dirty shoes, and a built in lock off. I am super excited about this seat, and I would love to win one! Thanks!

Of course I love that I can use ONE car seat for an entire 2 years rear facing, but I also love that it goes up to 40lbs too. My SIL is expecting (I'd give this to her) and her kids are always beasts (I'm totally serious). This is a seat the new baby won't outgrow in weight like many other seats would.alesha yates jacobsen